The project, written by Nic Pizzolatto and packaged by Anonymous Content, went out to networks earlier this month with HBO giving an eight-episode series order to the effort.

The duo will star as detectives Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Harrelson) whose lives become entangled while searching for a serial killer in Louisiana. True Detective's first season will follow the the 17-year hunt for the killer with following seasons replacing the cast and story -- a similar format that FX has employed for its freshman hit American Horror Story from Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.

Jane Eyre's Cary Fukunaga is attached to direct all eight installments with management company Anonymous Content -- who represents Pizzolatto and Fukunaga and developed True Detective, on board to produce. The company's Richard Brown, Steve Golin and Brad Dorros will executive produce.

For McConaughey, the project marks his first series regular commitment. Harrelson, meanwhile, would return to the small-screen with his first series regular gig following his run as the clueless but lovable Woody Boyd on Cheers and return to HBO after co-starring in the TV film Game Change earlier this year.

McConaughey and Harrelson are repped by CAA.

In addition to a series order for True Detective, Pizzolatto also inked a development deal with the cable network that's currently home to Game of Thrones, True Blood, Girls and Veep, the later two of which earned second-season renewals earlier Monday.